Matt Lowton - new deal

[Brend'Watkins]

As much as I'm happy we've tied Lowton to a longer contract the bigger message here for all the squad is performance = rewards.  As it should be.  We have players and agents buying into what PL is trying to build, that's great for the club.

I can't help feel that if CB's agent was more of a 'keep your client's feet on the ground agent' then his client might now have a healthier contract to enjoy and for him to enjoy for at least the next 12 months.  Silly man.

[supertom]

Well deserved. I actually think he kept us up. His wonder goal against Stoke came at a time we'd thrown away yet another lead. Stoke that day were wretched, utterly dire. We should have won it comfortably by the time they'd equalised. As soon as their goal went in, if anything they looked the more likely to go on and win, but Matty pulled one out the bag and in the end we had a score line that suggested that for the majority we had it quite easy against them.

It was an essential win though. Had we not got it, would we have had the confidence to gain a few more wins that we did in the remainder. It felt like a turning of the tide. Even drawing the Fulham game after (which we should have won as they were poor, and getting an expected Utd tonking, we still had some confidence from the Stoke win).

I think he's an England right back in the making. It'll be tight between him and Walker in the next few years I think.

[maidstonevillain]

Lambert and the club are being very clever and promising to reward the players if they deliver. He is keeping his promise and that can only be good for the players, team spirit and fostering a sense of loyalty. He would probably have only been on 15k a week and doubling that is nothing compared to the amounts we have been pissing up the wall on average/poor players in recent years.

This is true, but don't forget we can afford to pay more thanks to letting those wasters go and also the new Sky money. The latter means that the going wage for a Premier League player has gone up again, so once more we need to spend more just to stand still.

But it makes a change for it to be spent on players you want it to be spent on.

[PeterWithesShin]

Very pleased, overall I was impressed with Lowton last year.

Poor Joe Bennett, is he the only one not to be offered a new contract?

[VILLA MOLE]

Very pleased, overall I was impressed with Lowton last year.

Poor Joe Bennett, is he the only one not to be offered a new contract?

I am sure he will when he learns to tackle

[The Left Side]

Well done Villa and great reward for Matt, we are solidifying our core players for the future which is fantastic to see for them and us. One good thing to come from the Benteke situation is that it will hopefully bring the other players closer together, enforcing the team ethic.

[OCD]

Very pleased, overall I was impressed with Lowton last year.

Poor Joe Bennett, is he the only one not to be offered a new contract?

Do we know that one isn't being sorted out?

[damon loves JT]

I like Lowton for two reasons primarily.

1. He's got a real football 'brain' on him. He seems to read the game so much better than Bennett, Baker, Clarke.

Somebody mentioned it at the time, but his goal against Sunderland required him to anticipate the long ball and step a couple of yards sideways to take it on his chest. It was that reading of the game which made that brilliant goal possible

[dicedlam]

I like Lowton for two reasons primarily.

1. He's got a real football 'brain' on him. He seems to read the game so much better than Bennett, Baker, Clarke.

Somebody mentioned it at the time, but his goal against Sunderland required him to anticipate the long ball and step a couple of yards sideways to take it on his chest. It was that reading of the game which made that brilliant goal possible

Could somebody post that goal again please. I would do it myself, but I lack the skills to do so.

Thanks in advance.

[glasses]

Good news. If he continues to improve this season, I think he'll be on the plane to Rio next year/or at least part of the national set up if England don't qualify.

[l_mckay]

Brilliant news, defiantly 1 of the players of the season last year and he's only going to get better.

[saunders_heroes]

Very pleased, overall I was impressed with Lowton last year.

Poor Joe Bennett, is he the only one not to be offered a new contract?

Do we know that one isn't being sorted out?

I'd like to see him replaced rather than rewarded. He was hopeless last season.

[PeterWithesShin]

Could somebody post that goal again please. I would do it myself, but I lack the skills to do so.

Thanks in advance.

Highlights of all the goals.
http://www.footytube.com/video/aston-villa-sunderland-apr29-174288 

[supertom]

Very pleased, overall I was impressed with Lowton last year.

Poor Joe Bennett, is he the only one not to be offered a new contract?

Do we know that one isn't being sorted out?

I'd like to see him replaced rather than rewarded. He was hopeless last season.

Wouldn't go as far as seeing him turfed out, but evidently Luna has been bought in to push Bennett all the way. I thought from March onward, Bennett did alright. He still made the odd blunder but he'd settled in better. He had a few very good games too. Off the top of me head I couldn't name them, but remember him starting to look a proper player.

He does badly need to improve his decision making defensively and also bulk up. Luna looks like there's more to him. He looks harder. It might just be the ability to grow a beard which Joe doesn't have (because he's really 12 years old), but he looks tougher.

[Ryu]

Very pleased, overall I was impressed with Lowton last year.

Poor Joe Bennett, is he the only one not to be offered a new contract?

Do we know that one isn't being sorted out?

I'd like to see him replaced rather than rewarded. He was hopeless last season.

Wouldn't go as far as seeing him turfed out, but evidently Luna has been bought in to push Bennett all the way. I thought from March onward, Bennett did alright. He still made the odd blunder but he'd settled in better. He had a few very good games too. Off the top of me head I couldn't name them, but remember him starting to look a proper player.

He does badly need to improve his decision making defensively and also bulk up. Luna looks like there's more to him. He looks harder. It might just be the ability to grow a beard which Joe doesn't have (because he's really 12 years old), but he looks tougher.

I'd totally forgotten about Luna!  Looking forward to seeing how all the new boys get on.